Flagstaff

The next stop after Albuquerque was Flagstaff, Arizona. We arrived in Flagstaff and headed straight to the Lowell Observatory. Lowell Observatory is best known for the discovery of the planet Pluto. It was established in 1894, placing it among the oldest observatories in the United States, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965. In 2011, the Observatory was named one of “The World’s 100 Most Important Places” by TIME.

That night we slept for about 2 hours before deciding we were going to head to the Grand Canyon to watch the sunrise. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.

Before leaving Arizona, we drove to Page to see Horseshoe Bend. Wow! Words can’t describe how amazing this place is. This natural canyon formation which is surrounded by the Colorado river is surreal. Tons of people visit each year and we were so blessed to finally tick this off our bucket list.

Driving through Arizona was magnificent. The canyons and different coloured rock formations that sandwiched the road was definitely the prettiest thing I have seen.

We decided to visit Flagstaff during this road trip because of its close proximity to the Grand Canyon. The only item on our Flagstaff itinerary was the Canyon and the surrounding park. After such great discussions with the Flagstaff Convention and Visitors Bureau, I was introduced to so much more! These are just of the attractions we will be visiting during our stay in Flagstaff.

Explore Historic Downtown

Explore historic downtown Flagstaff, which offers unique shopping opportunities, restaurants, art galleries, Native American culture, jewelry, one-of-a-kind gifts and more – perfect for those looking for the spirit of Flagstaff.

Museum of Northern Arizona Tour – Open daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

The Museum of Northern Arizona is one of the great regional museums of our world. It is Flagstaff’s premier museum to learn about Native cultures, tribal lifeways, natural sciences and arts from the Colorado Plateau region. See over 5 million artifacts in the museum’s anthropology, biology, fine art and geology collections. www.musnaz.org

Lowell Observatory – This could be an evening/after dark activity

Near downtown Flagstaff, Lowell Observatory welcomes visitors of all ages to explore the modern visitor center, hands-on exhibits, and scenic campus. Tours and programs are offered throughout the year. The planet Pluto was discovered at Lowell Observatory in 1930. Lowell’s century-old Clark telescope is housed in a historic wooden dome, where night-sky viewing is offered much of the year. www.lowell.edu

Museum Club in Flagstaff also known as “The Zoo” – This could be a late evening activity, since the bands usually start around 9 p.m.

The Museum Club, a Route 66 icon in Flagstaff, Arizona, began its life as the boyhood dream of taxidermist Dean Eldredge in 1931. Dean began his taxidermy business in 1918. In the early 1930s Eldredge saw an opportunity when he purchased a piece of federal land, three miles east of Flagstaff on Route 66. Soon, he hired unemployed lumberjacks to cut trees, haul them to his property and built what he touted as “the biggest log cabin in Arizona.” It was a showplace for his lifetime collection of stuffed animals, six-legged sheep, Winchester rifles, Indian artifacts, two-headed calves, and more than 30,000 other items. Operating as a museum, taxidermist shop, and a trading post, scores of Route 66 travelers stopped in to visit Dean and his collection during the five years that he operated the museum. Before long, locals dubbed the museum “The Zoo,” a name that has stuck with the building to this day. Today it operates as a bar/nightclub and it is host to some of the best live entertainment in all of Arizona. www.themuseumclub.com